Wedding Dress
by Tohru12
Summary: Everything seemed to be going perfect for Kyoko Mogami; she was quickly climbing the ladder of success and was currently engaged to the top actor in Japan. But sometimes, the best of things don't last forever...
1. Chapter 1: Wedding Dress

_This is my first Skip-Beat fanfiction that I have decided to post. The following is the first segment of the story, if it does well (review wise) I will publish the other two parts that I have written already, and finish off the ending. I'm not sure how long I'll go after what I have written so far (there's about 5,000 words right now), but I guess I'll just decide that when I get there. I read the manga when the books come out, so I'm quite far behind the internet version... anyways, I hope you enjoy. The first chapter is relatively happy... if you think this is bad, well I think it gets better, haha._

Two actresses, both in disguises, walked into the thirteenth dress shop they had visited… that day. After travelling all over Tokyo, Kanae Kotonami was just about ready to call it quits. If none of the top of the line stores had anything Kyoko wanted, what made her think that this antique looking shop was going to be any better? Of course before Kanae could even think to tell Kyoko she was tired, a gasp, followed by her lovely nickname, stopped any argument.

"Moko-chan! I think I've found it! It's absolutely perfect!"

"Mo! You've said that twelve times already."

"Oh, but this really is THE one, come look at it! Please…"

"Ok, ok I'm coming."

Kanae said as she walked around the corner to see the "perfect" wedding dress. Kyoko wasn't lying; this time she had really found it, a dress that would only be right for her.

It was everything that Kyoko could have wished for— from the layers of lace, to the tiniest detail in the stitch pattern. The strapless wedding gown had a slight train, and the top was a silky material with embroidered lace on top. An off-white ribbon tied around her waist, and the lower part of the dress cascaded to the ground in a waterfall of ruffles. The top was fitted, accenting Kyoko's thin waist, and the strapless style revealed her beautiful skin. Kyoko would wear a tiara, courtesy of Ren's mother, and a veil at the wedding as well.

"Oh I want to try it on! Can I please Moko-chan!"

"Don't ask me! Ask the clerk, mo! You never change." Kanae exclaimed even though she was excited for Kyoko. She couldn't believe that her best friend had finally realized what had been apparent to almost everyone for so long! She doubted Ren could believe it half the time too.

It wasn't much later that Kyoko reappeared looking like a princess. Her hair was quite a bit longer than it had been when she'd first began acting several years before, and flowed nicely just past her shoulders. The dress fit her in all the right places, and the smile that was on her face made her the picture of happiness.

"Mogami-san," the clerk began, immediately recognizing the rising star, "Tsuruga-san will never complain about having to wait when he sees you in this. You look like you walked straight out of a fairytale."

"Really?" Kyoko asked with huge eyes, almost instantly being transported to a world of fairies, princes, and the like.

The clerk smiled at the soon-to-be bride, "Yes, really… So I'm expecting you're going to want it?"

Kyoko was off in la-la land and so Kanae answered for her,

"Yes, she'll take it." _"Because not only does it look good, but I'll be darned if I have to go to one more blasted dress store. I don't understand why she had to drag me to all these places, why couldn't she have taken… her best friend, dang… I forgot that's me."_

Kyoko soon came out of her daze, and slowly walked back to the dressing room, as if taking off the dress would mean she would never wear it again.

"Kyoko, will you hurry up! I have to be somewhere at 5!" Kanae shouted, as she glanced at a clock on the wall reading 4:23.

"Ah! It's that late already, I'll be out soon." And with that said Kyoko rushed into the changing room, returned, paid for the dress, and asked if they could send it to LME. Once everything was settled, Kyoko returned the fashionable hat to her head, and headed out of the store.

"Moko-chan, thank you for going with me today." Kyoko said, and though her eyes hidden by dark shaded sunglasses, Kanae could envision the teary eyes of her friend.

"It was no problem, but I really got to go. I'll see you later."

"Bye!" Kyoko exclaimed as she opened up her arms as if to give a hug… but before she could even realize what was happening, Kanae was off, running down the street.

Letting her arms slump to her side, Kyoko let out a short sigh. Moko had been so good to her for all of these years, and yet still, she rushed away at any sign of affection from her best friend. But Kyoko wouldn't let that get her down, doing her best to put on a smile, she thought of happier things… like Moko being her maid of honor and, of course, the groom who would be at her side.

* * *

><p>Later that evening in a small restaurant, Kyoko and Ren sat together, both finished with their tasks for the day. Their seats were in a darker corner of a restaurant in hopes of concealing their identities from fans. It was big news that they were going to be married, and while all of Kyoko's fans were happy, and most of Ren's, there were still the crazed ones that were determined to marry Ren themselves. It was best to not bring any attention to the famous couple if it could be prevented, and they also enjoyed their privacy like any couple would.<p>

And so, as it was, the soon-to-be husband and wife sat across from one another at a secluded table. They frequented this particular restaurant quite often, and so the waitresses no longer made it obvious that it was the Ren Tsuruga and Kyoko Mogami dining there by screaming or fainting at the sight of them.

"Do I need to ask what you want, or will it be the usual?" A middle-aged waitress asked with a grin on her face. Not only was she serving "The Ren Tsuruga" and his almost-as-famous girlfriend Kyoko, but Tsuruga-san was rich and left tips that no average customer would leave.

The young couple smiled, before placing down their menus.

"The usual will be just fine."

"Ok then, two hamburger steaks, with a fried egg on top coming right up."

After the waitress left, the two of them broke out into soft laughter. In unison, they both spoke, "We come here too much."

More laughter followed, but eventually it died down, and Kyoko spoke.

"So what did you do today?"

"Work."

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, you wanted to know what I did today, and I told you work."

"Fine, be that way."

"What way?"

"THAT way."

"What is THAT way?"

"THAT way means that you are being difficult."

"Difficult?"

"Just stop. Forget I asked." Kyoko said before getting up and leaving to go to the bathroom.

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere."

"Where's somewhere?"

Kyoko just smirked at him, before leaving. When she returned, and sat down, Ren spoke again,

"Kyoko, I'm sorry for being difficult with you."

"It's fine."

"Today I woke up, got ready, left the house, picked you up, dropped you off at LME where I met up with Yashiro-san, talked to the President briefly, drove to a studio in downtown Tokyo, did some modeling, then drove to an off-site shooting for one of my dramas, then went to another studio and did and interview. After all that I came and picked you up, and now we are here."

"Did you eat lunch?"

"Uh… let me think about that…"

"Ren!"

"What? It's not my fault I didn't have time… Did you eat lunch?"

"Well…" With all of the shopping, she and Moko-chan had deemed it best to skip lunch and find the dress before the day was out. Well she was just so excited about buying a dress, and Moko-chan never complained…

"You didn't, did you?"

"No, but…"

"Kyoko, you really should remember to eat. You need to stay healthy, you can't skip lunch…" Ren said, in a high-pitched voice trying to mimic Kyoko.

"But I have an excuse."

"Oh, and what might that be?" Ren asked, smiling.

"I was shopping for my wedding dress!"

"Oh, really…. so, did you find a dress then?" Ren asked, his voice returning to its natural tone.

Kyoko's eyes began to get a dazed look as she pictured herself in her fairytale world, and replied softly, "Yes…"

Ren, realizing that he was losing her, asked curiously if she had a picture.

"Yes of course… but you aren't allowed to see it!"

"And why is that?"

"Its bad luck for the groom to see the bride's dress before the wedding. Everyone knows that."

"Well I guess I'm not everyone." Ren replied quietly.

"If you were like everyone else, then I wouldn't have fallen in love with you."

Ren gave her one of his smiles in return, the kind that made all her demons scream, and the conversation was dropped for the time being. Their food was brought out, and placed before them, and Kyoko began to happily eat her dinner. Ren picked at his, claiming to not be hungry, but rather more interested in watching Kyoko's face as she ate her favorite meal.

The rest of the evening was filled with laughing, reminiscing, and a little talk of the future that awaited them. Both of them were excited for the lives they would soon start together, although they each also had their fears. Kyoko voiced one of hers on the ride home that night.

"Ren, do you really think this is right?"

"What do you mean? You do want to get married, right?" Ren asked, a bit of worry in his voice.

"I mean, is this right for your career? Won't it hurt your popularity? You won't be a bachelor anymore you know."

"I don't care what affect this has on my career at this point, all I care about is you, and making you my wife. While there is a possibility that I will lose some fans, the ones that really like my acting will stay fans because they will rejoice in my happiness. The ones that don't, well I guess they weren't really fans of anything but the possibility of getting together with me."

"I know what you're saying, but still, I just can't help but get the feeling that our marriage is going to hurt your career."

"Stop worrying about it, if I was, then I never would have asked you to marry me in the first place. Kyoko, I love you, and nothing will stop me from loving you."

When Ren brought his car to a stop outside the Daruma-ya he took Kyoko's hand in his, silently imploring her to look at him. With the moonlight hitting her face, she looked like an angel that had fallen from the sky as her eyes shown like two stars.

"Kyoko, remind me again why I'm not going to take you away right now, and elope. Why I'm going to wait two and a half more weeks to see you in a white dress, walking down the aisle towards me. Please, make me understand…"

Kyoko smiled at him, "Because… you've waited years, and a few more weeks are not going to kill you… or me. As much as I want you to take me away right now, we both know you can't. All of your fans would throw a fit if they couldn't at least see you get married, since they aren't fortunate enough to be me… and you know the President and Yashiro would beat you up if they missed it, especially since they've been trying to get us together for so long."

"But tha-"

"Not to mention, how upset father would be if he found out."

"Yes, but-"

"And Moko would just about rip me to shreds, especially after all the dress shopping…"

"That is true…"

"And Maria would probably put a curse on both of us…"

"Still…"

"And you know we're really getting married the day before, secretly… so that everything is legal, with your real name and everything…"

"Okay, you've reminded me enough, thank you."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight…" Ren replied as Kyoko got out of the car and closed the door. Before she got too far, he rolled down the window.

"And Mogami-san-"

"Yes, Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko responded formally.

"Just a bit of advice from a sempai to a kohai; don't do anything drastic these next few weeks. Keep healthy, stay safe, and don't forget that I love you Kyoko Mogami."

_Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please review if you have the time, it is much appreciated. _


	2. Chapter 2: Plans

_Thank you so much for those who read my story. For those of you who reviewed, I'm very happy to hear your comments. This is the second part that I have, there's one more completed portion, and then and idea I'm working with that could either extend the story further, or leave it at as 4 part. _

_Chapter/Part 2: Plans_

A few days later, Kyoko and Ren walked through the actors' entrance of LME heading for the elevator. Ren had picked Kyoko up early that morning, and the two were on their way for a visit to the President. Riding in the elevator, out of view of the public eye, Ren took Kyoko's hand in his and enjoyed his moment with her. His precious little time ended all too soon as the elevator dinged, signaling their arrival to the top floor of the massive LME building.

The President's door was slightly open, and Ren knocked on the door to get Lory's attention.

"Come in, come in. Sit down."

The couple entered the room and silently sat down. For once the President's office was just what is should have always been: an office.

"I take it you are here to discuss some things with me."

Ren raised an eyebrow, "That is why you asked us here, isn't it."

Lory laughed, "Yes, yes of course. My two favorites finally getting married… Well, let's get down to business. Have you picked out your dress yet?" He said turning to Kyoko.

"Oh yes! Would you like to see it?"

Lory, being ever the romanticist, couldn't resist saying yes, and so Kyoko pulled up the picture on her phone and carried it around the desk to show the President.

"Oh, you look positively stunning."

Kyoko blushed. "President, you're too generous with your compliments."

Throughout this, Ren had been fidgeting in his seat. Why couldn't he see it? _"Oh yeah, it's bad luck. Whoever believed in superstitions anyways?" _Ren thought to himself as he got out of the chair and tried to get a look. He stopped when Lory gasped.

"What do you think you're doing? Don't you know that it's bad luck for…"

"…The groom to see the bride's dress before the wedding? So I've heard."

"Exactly." Lory said in a matter-of-fact voice. "Kyoko, I think that you'd be better off deleting that photo, and letting everyone else have the surprise of seeing you in it for the first time at the wedding."

Kyoko looked at Ren, who stared back with pleading eyes, before she deleted it and returned to her seat. Ren followed suit, and the President continued.

"Ok, just to make sure everything is clear to both of you, and to ensure I have everything right, correct me if I'm wrong, I'd like to run through your plans. The day before the public wedding you plan on meeting here at 8:00 in the morning to settle the actual union of you two. Julie, Kuo, and Kotonami-san will be present, along with Yukohito-san. The whole thing should probably take about an hour at most, and following the ceremony, we'll all head out to a late brunch. After this, you two are not allowed to be seen together in public until the next day at the wedding. This wedding will be taped beginning at 6:00 in the evening. Is that everything?"

"I believe so." Ren answered, before turning to his wife-to-be and giving her the chance to say anything.

"I think that's everything. Thank you so much for helping us put all of this together. I'll never be able to thank you enough for all that you have done for me— now with this wedding, as well as these past few years. Without you, I never would have gotten where I am today." Kyoko said before practically doing a dogeza.

"There's no need to do a dogeza for me Mogami-san. Please, please, stand up. It has been my utmost pleasure watching you grow not only as an actress, but as a young woman as well. I'm sure Ren will agree with me when I say that you have shown more promise than any actress that has been through here in years."

Kyoko looked from the President to Ren and then to the ground. Tears were forming in her eyes. Never had she ever even began to imagine that she would be standing where she was today… an accomplished actress, engaged to be married, successful.

A few minutes later, the young couple made their exit— both of them had a long day ahead.

* * *

><p>The next few weeks passed by slowly for both of Kyoko and Ren. Kyoko had finished up all of her jobs prior to buying the dress and Ren was finishing up a movie, and would be taking a hiatus on the drama he was currently starring in. To make sure that there would be no parts of the jobs left undone, Ren worked long hours to keep up with his professional status. This wedding, and the days that followed it, would be the first vacation he had taken since becoming an actor in Japan.<p>

Kyoko spent her time helping to plan the wedding and going over details with the President, who insisted that he pay for, and help plan, the wedding of his two favorites. It was going to be extravagant, but no one would expect anything less from Lory Takarada and his crazy mind.

The wedding was going to be an outdoor wedding, not only because that was what Kyoko wanted, but also because they could fit more people into the venue. They would be married beneath the shade of the Sakura trees and the backdrop would be a lake where the setting sun would send the final touches to picturesque wedding. Every time that Kyoko envisioned the wedding she couldn't help but smile in anticipation.

They were going to be married on a Saturday, and the whole event would be broadcast on LIVE television. Kanae would be the Maid of Honor, and Yashiro the Best Man. Lory had found away to be the preacher because it wouldn't have to be real; they would already legally be married as the Hizuri family. Maria would be the flower girl. After the wedding, and reception, the two newlyweds would take a tour of the country before returning to Tokyo and their jobs and lives that awaited them.

* * *

><p>"Ok, this is our last take, and then we'll be done!" The director called out from his chair. Ren and his co-star both gave the director a nod before returning to their positions on the set. They were outside, and the clouds looked like they would burst any minute with an explosion of rain. Fortunately, for the director, rain slowly began to cascade out of the sky and into the camera frame. Unfortunately, for the actors, they were getting wet and it was a bit chilly.<p>

"Minami-san, after all these years, I've finally caught up to you. Any last words?" Ren's character proclaimed as he held a gun to his co-star's head.

"Why would I waste any words on you?" Minami screamed back. Her long dark-auburn hair, drenched from the now pouring rain, clung to the sides of her face. Tears mixed in with droplets of rain as Minami began to accept her fatal fate.

"Very well… Then this is goodbye!" And a shot went off. The only problem with the take was that Ren's gun never went off.

_Thank you for reading! Your comments are appreciated! _


	3. Chapter 3: Flowers

_I'm not sure how many people will make it to the third part of this story, but here it is. There is a little bit left to add after this that could be extended or not, it really depends on the response I receive from the rest of the story. I hope you enjoy reading this story..._

* * *

><p>Wedding Dress<p>

Chapter 3: Flowers

Kyoko stood in front of a row of flowers trying to decide which ones to use for her bouquet. Why she was wasting her time on such a miniscule task, she would never understand… but still, _"Which ones are better?" _she kept asking herself as she picked up a vase full of white roses.

Suddenly she dropped them, and the flowers and the vase crashed to the floor. The shop keeper, standing near, immediately began to pick of the glass fragments, all the while listening to Kyoko's constant apologies. By the time the whole thing was settled, Kyoko was no farther along in picking her flowers…

"_Ren would know… I'll call him and ask. He should be done with his shooting by now." _But before she could even reach for her bag, her phone began to vibrate inside. An unknown number popped up, and Kyoko quickly opened the phone.

"Hello?"

"Kyoko-chan, this is Lory."

"President?"

"Yes, yes. That isn't important though. Where are you, right now?"

"I'm at the flower shop with Maria. Why?

"There's no time for questions. Do you have one of the limos with you?"

_"What is the President playing at…" _"Yes, only because you insisted."

"Good, drop whatever you are doing right now, and you and Maria go and get into that limo right now. I mean hurry, don't worry about the flowers, just go."

"Okay…"

"I'll answer your questions later."

Grabbing Maria by the hand, and picking up her bag, Kyoko rushed out of the store and into the limo which had already been pulled up to the front of the store.

"Onee-chan, what's going on? I didn't call for the limo, did you? Why are we leaving?"

"I don't know…"

Locking the doors, Kyoko finally put the phone back to her ear.

"President, what's going on? Why-?"

At that moment, before the Lory Takarada could explain anything, Kyoko heard the sound of metal being dented. It was then, through the tinted windows of the bullet-proof LME limo that Kyoko saw she had been shot at.

"Maria get down!" Kyoko said, crouching next to her on the floor. She didn't care if they said it was bullet-proof, someone was after her. It was then that it hit her.

"Lory, what's happened to Ren?" She asked in a small voice, barely above a whisper.

"Kyoko, I'll explain everything when you get here."

"Where's here? Why won't you tell me what's happened to Ren?" Tears, that had threatened to fall a few seconds before, quickly began to form in the actress's golden eyes.

"You'll see. It'll only be a few moments. Don't be alarmed when the security guard comes to get you. It's for your own protection. Can I talk to Maria?"

Kyoko didn't bother responding, but rather handed the phone to a confused Maria.

"Grandfather, what's happening? I want to know!"

"Maria, I need you to stay in the limo. The driver's going to take you back home okay. Please don't argue. I'll let you know what's happening when I figure this all out okay. I need you to be strong for Kyoko right now ok. Please don't argue…"  
>"Yes Grandfather."<p>

A tap at the window made both of Kyoko and Maria jump. Kyoko, realizing that it was the security guard got up from where she was crouching, and looked out the windows to make sure that the person with the gun was no longer in sight. Slowly opening the door, she got out and was quickly escorted into a building she would later realize was a hospital. Lory was waiting for her just inside and a nurse quickly guided them through a maze of hallways, rooms, and stairs, until they finally reached their destination.

"Kyoko, we cannot go in there yet, but I wanted to tell you this in person. I think it'd be best if you sat down." Lory said.

"If this is a joke Lory," Kyoko began, addressing the President by his first name, "I want you to know that you have taken this too far."

"If only it were that simple… Kyoko, Ren's been shot."

Kyoko fainted and Lory laid her down across some chairs in the hallway.

Lory sighed; this was going to be harder than he thought. The report he had gotten from the director, and confirmed by the crew went repeatedly through his head…

"_Minami-san, after all these years, I've finally caught up to you. Any last words?" Ren's character proclaimed as he held a gun to his co-star's head. _

_ "Why would I waste any words on you?" Minami screamed back. Her long dark-auburn hair, drenched from the now pouring rain, clung to the sides of her face. Tears mixed in with droplets of rain as Minami began to accept her fatal fate. _

_ "Very well. Then this is goodbye!"_ _Ren finished as he pulled the trigger on the fake, unloaded gun. When he heard the shot go off he immediately looked at his co-star, afraid that for some reason the prop gun had been replaced and he had shot a real one. It only took a split second and a searing pain in his abdomen to realize that he really did have a prop gun. His mind immediately flashed pictures of Kyoko, and then it went black._

_ The person who fired the real gun tried to escape, hoping that everyone would be too obsessed with Ren to realize that someone was still in the room. Unfortunately for them, two or three of the crew men saw what happened and reacted as fast as they could, tackling the shooter to the floor and removing the gun. Others on set called an ambulance as fast as they could, and Ren was on his way to the hospital in a matter of minutes… As soon as he saw Ren off, the director made a call to LME's President, and relayed the whole event._

Lory was taken out of his thoughts as Kyoko came to, and a nurse exited Ren's room. Her face was grim and she quickly walked away without making eye contact with either. Another nurse entered the room several minutes later, and Lory and Kyoko were left to wait in the hallway.

Some time passed before Kyoko spoke, barely audible to Lory's ears, "How?"

"He was shot during one of his scenes."

"Did they catch him? Did they catch the man who shot him?"

"Yes, they caught the… woman."

"Woman? Some woman walked onto the set and shot him? Don't they have security there? Why didn't anyone stop her! Why did she have to shoot him?"

"Kyoko, the police are interrogating her as we speak, and yelling won't change anything."

"You're telling me to stop yelling when the man I love is dying in there. I may never get to speak to him again, and you're telling me to stop yelling? It's my fault if he dies! If I had never agreed to marry him, then that woman, who probably did it out of jealousy, would never have shot him!"

"You don't know that Kyoko, that is not true."

Just then Kyoko stopped, her tears, her yelling, everything. She looked down at her hands, and began trembling. "They were after me next, weren't they? That's why you told me to leave. That's why they shot at the limo! Oh God…"

Just then the doctor came out of the room and into the hallway. Mogami-san, Takarada-san, I'm…"

Kyoko didn't wait for him to finish. She ran into the hospital room, ignored the shocked faces of the nurses, and went to Ren.

"Ren, no… you can't leave me now."

* * *

><p><em>Please review and let me know what you think! Thank you for reading! <em>

_-Tohru12_


	4. Chapter 4: Painted Black

It has been quite a long time since I last posted a chapter for this story. I received a message earlier from Starla Princess asking me to update the story, and things worked out in such a way that I was able to find the motivation to work on this chapter. This chapter follows the original plot line I had chosen when I first began writing this story...

* * *

><p>Wedding Dress<p>

Chapter 4: Painted Black

Everything had happened so fast. The wedding, in just three days, would now be Ren's funeral. They would use the same venue, but everything would be in black instead of white. That included the "perfect" wedding dress Kyoko had picked out just weeks before.

She had cried, sobbed, and stared into space… for not thinking was better than realizing what she had lost. She had stayed in that hospital room, clutching his hand for hours before Kanae had finally coaxed her away. Her eyes were dead, all sparkle gone, all color dulled. She stared at the wedding dress she had been so adamant about keeping from Ren, and realized that he would never see it… Why didn't she just let him see the useless piece of cloth? Everything that she had once seen as beautiful, now held a significantly grotesque look in her eyes.

_"Because… you've waited years, and a few more weeks are not going to kill you… or me. As much as I want you to take me away right now…" _Oh why did she have to say that? Why didn't she just agree to elope with him? They could have been happily married right now, enjoying their honeymoon… but no. Here she was, alone.

* * *

><p>The news of Ren's death had reached the public the next day. It was on every news channel, for the death of Tsuruga Ren was the death of a national icon, a legend of the silver screen.<p>

Kyoko sat alone in Ren's apartment, completely lost in her emotional turmoil. She refused to open the door for anyone, preferring to handle her sorrow without the pampering of everyone else. Soon after arriving she had turned off her phone, and unplugged Ren's apartment phone. She had no desire to talk to anyone.

Getting up, Kyoko carefully walked through the apartment that she had begun to call home, the familiar furniture inciting memories of the not so distant past. Who knew that it would… that it could… end so quickly, so soon. She didn't just lose her fiancé; she lost her best friend, her mentor, her coworker, her lover. The Kyoko Mogami of last week would never appear again, for this was one wound that time could not heal. Yes, eventually she would find herself back on the big screen, but no longer with the fire, the passion, the life that she once had. She threw herself full force into her work, becoming the characters more and more just to relieve herself from the pain she felt as Kyoko. Time would pass; actors and actresses came and went through the industry, but never one as talented as Ren Tsuruga. Kyoko Mogami slowly disappeared from the spotlight, and her name gradually became nothing but a distant memory of the past.

It wasn't until about 15 years after the incident, when LME produced a special that let the world in on what really happened to the two of the best actors of the generation, and possibly the century.

_"Hello, my name is Kanae Kotonami, and the following presentation will explain many of the mysteries of the two legendary actors that will always be in our hearts, Ren Tsuruga and Kyoko Mogami... Many of you remember that fateful day 15 years ago when Tsuruga-san was murdered on the set of his latest movie, "Clouds of Tomorrow". The suspect, who was to be sentenced to life in prison, was beaten to death by raging fans before she ever made it to the prison. Tsuruga-san was to be married at the end of the week to Kyoko Mogami in a majestic ceremony that was supposed to be the marriage of the century. However, things took a dismal turn with the shocking sequence of events, and the location was quickly painted black for the most watched funeral since Kuu Hizuri had a funeral for his stage name. Tsuruga-san left everything to his fiancée and parents, Kuu and Julie Hizuri. Yes, Ren Tsuruga was the lost son of the ever famous actor and model."_

_ "Today, LME would like to present to the world some of the lost footage of Tsuruga-san and Mogami-san. Prior to the incident of 15 years ago, the couple had agreed to do a series of interviews that was to be used in a project former President of LME, Lory Takarada, had been planning to produce…"_

The screen went black, before an old film short picked up with the countdown of 5…4…3…2…1… Viewers across the nation sat entranced, anxiously awaiting the mysterious footage. When the picture appeared, viewers saw Ren and Kyoko sitting together on a couch, Yashiro in a chair to their right, and Kanae on their left. President Takarada was sitting in front of them.

Lory began the conversation. "So you four might be wondering why I gathered you here today, and as much as I wish it was to tell you I'm giving you a raise, it's not. In actuality, I'm here to have an interview with you that will be used in a documentary I'm planning on producing. It won't be released for many years, which will make this even more interesting, but nevertheless, I hope you will give me your cooperation?"

A unified response of "Of course," filled the room, and a smile could be seen on the President's face.

"Splendid."

The screen faded black again, before returning with a view of just Kanae Kotonami and President Takarada.

"Kotonami-san, you entered the entertainment industry around the same time as Mogami-san. Would you mind telling viewers about your experiences with Kyoko Mogami?"

There was a somewhat awkward laugh, before Kanae put on a smile, and answered the President, "I would not know where to begin with a question like that. Kyoko… Mogami-san, is certainly a unique individual. I don't know if there has ever been a person who has frustrated me so much…" Kanae laughed again. "I honestly don't know how to describe our relationship. Kyoko would probably call it friendship, and I'm sure she would love to hear me reciprocate the description, but I just don't know. She has the ability to become one of the greatest actresses in the world, and I guess yes, she is my friend, but also my rival. I would do anything for her though…" Realizing what she just said, Kanae's expression turned to one of discomfort, and the President quickly changed the subject.

"So what do you think of Tsuruga-san and Mogami-san being together?"

"I'm glad those two finally realized what so many of us saw all along. Kyoko was blind for so long… and Tsuruga-san took quite a long time to put his pride on the line and risk asking her out. Believe me when I say it was a relief for all of us when they finally started dating."

The screen then switched over to Yashiro, who was sitting on the couch cleaning his glasses. He looked up and seemed surprised to be on camera.

"Yashiro-san, what can you tell us about Tsuruga-san?"

"Many things… many, many things… but I fear if I speak them aloud I will never make it home again. I think it would be best for things to remain a mystery, right President?"

"Ah, the words of wisdom from the Manager."

Both men laughed.

"I've heard rumors that Tsuruga-san and Mogami-san might be getting married. If this should happen, how would you feel?"

The school-girl look appeared on Yashiro's face, and he did his best to contain the squeal that threatened to emerge from his mouth. "I would feel like all my hard work has finally paid off. I've wanted this for so long. They will be the most powerful couple in the industry. No one will be able to surpass them. Ohhhh, I get so excited just thinking about it!"

The program returned to the Kanae Kotonami of the present.

_ "It's been such a long time since those interviews were taped. There are a few more segments stored at LME, but for today we'll just show one more. The last presentation we have for you today is a combined interview between the President and Tsuruga-san and Mogami-san." _Tears threatened to fall from Kanae's eyes as she spoke. She had one more announcement after this last interview.

* * *

><p><em>I killed Ren. I'm sorry... but the story isn't over just yet, so if you'd like me to continue please review!<em>

_-Tohru12_


	5. Chapter 5: One Last Time

_Thank you so much mangaEATER-chan, perfect beauty, Dana, and nutella4ever for your reviews! I really appreciate them! I can't promise that all updates will come this quickly, but here's Part 5, or Chapter 5, whichever you prefer to call it. I've managed to find a way to continue this story a bit further. I hope you enjoy reading! Please review! Reviews inspire me to write more and update more quickly!_

* * *

><p>Wedding Dress<p>

Chapter 5: One Last Time

There was brief silence between Kanae Kotonami's commentary and the beginning of the final interview. The people of Japan held their breath in anticipation of seeing the actor and actress that had disappeared all too soon from their lives. While Ren Tsuruga and Kyoko Mogami's movies and dramas had continued to play throughout the last fifteen years, it wasn't the same as hearing them talk as individuals rather than characters. This was like having them back one last time…

Across the nation the televisions suddenly experienced the black and white blizzard screen before an image slowly began to flicker on and off. It was Ren Tsuruga's face, and it appeared as if he was tapping the camera as the picture finally came into focus.

"I think it's working now…" Ren's voice echoed through the televisions of hundreds of thousands of people.

President Takarada's voice could be heard in the background, "Yes? Ok, good, sit down, and let's begin."

As Ren moved away from the camera the audience was finally able to see that it was Ren, Kyoko, and the President all sitting in a room. Kyoko and Ren were sitting next to each other on a small couch, their hands intertwined, and a ring on Kyoko's left ring finger glistening in the light.

"President, why are we here?" Ren asked before the President could start questioning them. He didn't look to happy, but Kyoko placed her free hand on his arm to show that it was alright. The movement caused her ring to catch the light and sparkle. She quickly whispered something in his ear, and he turned to her and smiled, before returning his gaze to the President.

"Well, for the interview of course! But I guess you understand that," Lory laughed heartily. "I want this documentary to have interviews following the lives of some of my most precious children," Lory continued, referring to Ren and Kyoko as his children. "I want to be able to show this to you years from now, to show you how you've grown, to show the world that you two truly are talented artists."

"I," Kyoko began, and then looked at Ren, "I mean we, understand. Please continue with the interview then."

The first part of the interview consisted of a few basic questions that the couple answered individually, before Lory got to the "couple" questions.

"I understand that you two are engaged to be married. Have you set a date yet?"

Ren chose to answer, "No, we haven't. We were hoping to wait for a convenient time when there would be as few conflicts as possible with our jobs."

"Heh, Ren, when was the last time you had free time?" Lory questioned with a "I-know-you-haven't-taken-a-break-since-you-started-this-career" smile.

"…Never."

"This is why I have taken it upon myself to begin preparations for your wedding, and have already made the necessary phone calls to clear your schedules…" Lory continued, while watching the couple's reaction to his words. Kyoko and Ren sat there and stared at him in shock. Did he really just say what they thought he said?

"President why… that is, how? Why did you… how did you?" Kyoko couldn't seem to find the right words to express what she was trying to ask.

"I think what she means to say is: Why did you do this? And how did you manage to clear our schedules?"

"I. Know. Everything!" The President articulated. "There is nothing that the President of LME cannot do. I thought you two would know this by now! It saddens me that you underestimate my ability." It appeared as though the President were about to cry, before he laughed again. He was in such a good mood it seemed.

"Does this mean that everything is already planned?" Kyoko asked, causing the President to stop laughing.

"Of course not! That is part of the reason I called you here today! I wanted to discuss wedding ideas with you two!"

Ren glanced down at his watch. Kyoko's eyes glazed over as she drifted off to the world of fairies, princes, and princesses. The President looked between the two and realized that he was losing them. For such dedicated actors, the two of them could become distracted so easily.

"Come now, don't lose focus you two! I have just a few more interview related questions. I think the world would love to know the story of how you proposed Ren! It's been a mystery to everyone, including myself! If you answer this, I'll let you leave early," Lory finished with a smirk.

"Oh! Should we tell him Ren?" Kyoko asked, returning from her daze as she turned to look at her fiancé.

"If you want to, it's fine by me." Ren replied, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

The President looked at the couple and couldn't help but smiling. The number one Love-Me Girl had finally found love. The President made a mental reminded to congratulate himself on his success later with an extravagant party. Surely he deserved one, right?

"Well, let's see. I believe that it was early March, and the forest in Kyoto was just beginning to come back to life after the winter months. I had a modeling job in the area, and Ren and I had talked about him coming to visit me one of the days. He hadn't told me which one…" Kyoko began. Viewers watching the interview couldn't help but become excited as the story surrounding the engagement of Tsuruga-sand and Mogami-san had always remained a mystery. Fans of the deceased Tsuruga-san felt their hearts breaking all over again as they listened to his love story. It just wasn't fair that such a man had to die so young. It would have been different if it were by natural causes… it wouldn't hurt as much… or it wouldn't hurt in the same way. Curse that woman that took his life! Why would she kill him? It just made no sense; wouldn't a crazy fan go after Kyoko and not Ren? Not that they had wanted Kyoko to die, she was wonderful too… it's just, things didn't always make sense.

"…and so I was surprised when Ren showed up one evening. He suggested we take a walk in the woods. I was surprised to say the least- Ren never seemed like the nature kind of man, you know? But that didn't matter, he offered, and I couldn't refuse. We made our way through the forest, before Ren stopped us at a stream…."

"…which is when I confessed to her, and told her that I was her childhood friend." Ren finished with a twinkle in his eye.

The President's shocked face mirrored that of almost every viewer. Childhood friend? Ren and Kyoko knew each other since they were children? No one thought that it was possible, but this love story just became even more depressing.

Kyoko looked down, embarrassed. She wasn't sure if Ren wanted to reveal that part of their engagement story, but she was glad her did. It still didn't stop her from blushing, as she remembered the next part of the story. Taking a deep breath, she smiled, and continued, "Yes, Ren revealed that he was the boy I had met as a small girl. I was shocked for a few minutes, before things began clicking in my head. It all made sense. We had a long talk after that, I won't go into the details…"

"But it was a very nice evening… and Kyoko looked so beautiful, that I couldn't contain myself anymore. I had to ask her the question that had been brewing in my mind for a while. I wanted her to be mine forever. I wanted her to be my wife."

"To say that he caught me off guard would be an understatement. But that didn't matter. It didn't take me more than a second to reply. I always knew the answer would be yes."

* * *

><p><em>Thank you for reading! All reviews are appreciated!<em>

_-Tohru12_


	6. Chapter 6: His Kyoko

This chapter is quite a bit shorter, but I wanted to end it at a certain point. Thank you for continuing to read this story, and I hope you will continue reading after this chapter... even if it might be tempting to say it isn't worth it.

* * *

><p>Wedding Dress<p>

Chapter 6: His Kyoko

Lory's eyes began to water at the beautiful love story. Who knew his two favorites were capable of such love? Oh he most certainly was going to celebrate! He deserved a celebration… they deserved a celebration. Oh it would be wonderful. He would make it wonderful. Extravagant ideas began running rampant in his mind before he managed to ask his next question.

"So do you two have any plans for the future?" Lory asked with a grin.

"Other than getting married? I'm not sure, we haven't really discussed anything. We barely see each other enough as it is." Ren laughed. Soon he would be able to spend weeks with the love of his life.

"I'm not sure what you're inferring, President, but as of right now Ren and I are content with just getting married."

"No children? No little Tsurugas?" The President asked, barely keeping his composure.

Ren's eyebrows shot up. "I think it's a little too soon to be thinking about starting a family. For now, I just want to spend time with my Kyoko." Ren said, looking at the woman sitting next to him.

Kyoko blushed. _His Kyoko._

The interview ended ten minutes later. Ren and Kyoko had continued to talk about the story their engagement and the events that followed, before Lory said that he was finished for the day. When the screen went black, many fans felt like Ren had died a second death before their eyes. He wouldn't be returning, not ever… not unless there were more interviews that LME was able to uncover.

Kanae took several deep breaths, doing her best to compose herself. She had no idea what she was thinking when she agreed to be the announcer for this. She could feel the tears rising in her eyes again. More deep breaths. She was her best friend; this is the way it should be done. _Breathe._

"_Before we conclude this presentation, LME would like to ask for a moment of silence for Ren Tsuruga. He will forever be remembered as one of the greatest actors to walk this earth. His persistent determination and incredible skill brought more than one character to life before our eyes."_

Images of all of Ren's characters appeared, from the very first, to the very last. His early productions showed a young Ren, just beginning in the industry. His face still had some childish characteristics, but as the pictures flashed across the screen, viewers could see his development into a man. Images from Ren's modeling appeared as well, as well as other jobs. Some of the photos were from "behind the scenes" where Ren was smiling and laughing with his co-stars. The last picture to appear was of him and Kyoko, a photo they had taken after announcing their engagement. Ren was wearing black pants, a long-sleeve white dress shirt, a black vest and a bow-tie. His hair had fallen in front of his eye on one side, but it was obvious that he was enjoying the moment. And why wouldn't he be? He had Kyoko in his arms, princess style. He had surprised her when he picked her up. She was wearing a light pink dress that went just past her knees. One of her shoes appeared as if it might fall off at any moment as she looked up into Ren's eyes. They looked happy. They were happy. Anybody who thought otherwise would have been blind. The picture captured a moment of pure happiness, pure joy, pure content.

Ren and Kyoko's photo stayed on the screen for a while, but eventually faded into the background. Once again, Kanae reappeared. In the brief interlude of photos she had managed to compose herself again- barely. Every time she tried to speak the words, her voice cracked. She had to do this. She was the only one who could. The only one _she_ would have wanted. If only they had given her more time. If only she didn't have to do this.

Kanae looked up and saw that she was being given the countdown. She was a professional actress. She must do her best. She must do her best for…

_At this time, I would also like to ask for a moment of silence for Kyoko Mogami…"_

Kanae couldn't handle this. It was too much. The tears threatened to return. _Breathe Kanae. Breathe._

"_Kyoko Mogami passed away yesterday evening in her home in Kyoto, Japan."_


	7. Chapter 7: Her Tsurugasan

Thank you xCeceVolumex, WitchMagicCat, nutella4ever and perfect beauty for your reviews! I always look forward to hearing your feedback! And so hear it is, part/chapter 7 of Wedding Dress. It's one of the longest chapters, if not the longest, up there with the first chapter. I'm glad, I've already started the next chapter, so hopefully I can get that up soon. After this weekend, I can't promise updates being as frequent, but I guess time will tell.

* * *

><p>Wedding Dress<p>

Chapter 7: Her Tsuruga-san

In the years to follow, fans would often ask, "Where were you when you learned that Kyoko died?" Some would say watching the presentation on her and Tsuruga-san, others would say shopping, some would reply that they had heard it on the radio on their way home from work. It didn't matter where they were when they heard- they were all affected in the same way. It didn't seem possible. Yes, surely she had disappeared from the bright lights of showbiz, but she still appeared publicly on occasion. Now not only was Ren gone, but Kyoko too.

Kyoko's death wouldn't get the fame and publicity that Ren's did. She had died alone. Kanae would never forgive herself for that. Kyoko had died alone. By herself. No one had been there to comfort her in her final hours- no one had been able to say their final goodbyes.

But it was just like Kyoko to hide the truth from others- to hide things that she believed would be a burden to them. Why make her friends worry- why make her friends worry about someone as insignificant as her. Kyoko, the most unselfish individual that any of her acquaintances had ever met. Kyoko, unselfish to the end.

It was actually pure coincidence that they had discovered her body so soon. Maria Takarada had been in Kyoto on a modeling job (she had entered the entertainment/modeling industry during her teens) and had decided to stop by Kyoko's house as a surprise. The two had kept in contact over the years- Maria being one of the few people Kyoko had managed to maintain a solid relationship with following the death of her fiancé.

Kyoko lived in a modest sized house on the far end of the town, bordering the forest. She didn't leave the house much, and grew most of her own food in the garden behind her house. On occasion, she would go to Tokyo for an event at LME. In the years that followed the death of Ren, she had tried to keep up with her career as an actress, forever trying to reach the seemingly unattainable status of being world-renowned. As time went on, she realized that she could no longer put the effort into her roles that she believed the characters deserved. However, she had accumulated enough money to live comfortably in a small home in Kyoto, and with this knowledge, she did just that.

While Kyoko always kept the windows facing the street closed, the windows facing the forest were almost always open. The house had a back porch where Kyoko kept a few chairs, although it was more common for only hers to be filled. She didn't entertain guests very often. Even still, Kyoko did keep in contact with the President, Kuu and Julie, Maria, Kanae, and Yashiro.

* * *

><p>It had been a while since Maria had visited Kyoko. Even though Kyoko had changed from the girl she had met so many years ago, she was still like an older sister to Maria, offering tips and overall enjoyable conversation. Maria smiled as she crossed the street and walked up the front path to Kyoko's door. The garden in front was well kept, and the flowers incited memories in Maria of her previous visit.<p>

"_You say you lived here as a little girl. Do you ever talk to any of your old friends?" Maria innocently asked._

_Kyoko smiled at Maria with sad eyes, before replying, "You forget Maria, I was never a very popular girl. There were two people who played with me when I was little, one of them is dead, and the other… I'd rather not talk about him."_

_Feeling like she brought back bad memories, Maria quickly apologized. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you sad!"_

"_While it is a sad memory, do not apologize. The one friend, who is no longer with us, was very special to me. I will always remember him."_

"_Were you able to see him before he died? Like, after you left Kyoto, did you ever see him again?"_

_Kyoko was silent for a while. When she replied, her voice was softer than before, "I had known him when I was very young. He left Kyoto a long time before I went to Tokyo. But I did meet him again." Kyoko smiled as she remembered Ren. Oh how she missed him, even now. A year, five, fifty years could pass, but she would never forget him. She, the girl who vowed to never love again, had found love in Ren Tsuruga, and no amount of time would ever convince her to give it up, to let it go. _

"_Was he surprised to see you in the entertainment industry?" Maria asked, curious to know if perhaps she had met this mysterious friend from Kyoko's past._

"_You could say that. I'm not sure that he recognized me immediately… It took me a long time to realize it was him. I was actually quite shocked when he told me."_

"_What was his name? Do I know him?"_

_Kyoko looked out into the forest- it was so peaceful here. The sun was getting lower in the trees, and the cicadas were starting to hum in the distance. A soft breeze had picked up, and Kyoko shivered slightly before turning to look at Maria. She had grown into quite the young woman. Her features really were lovely- she would be very successful one day, even more than she was now. Maria Takarada had never needed to use her grandfather's influence to become a success. She was a master of coercion, and the men constantly vied for her attention. Kyoko couldn't help but smile at the memory of a little girl who called her big sis, and who was determined to marry Ren. Kyoko let out a sigh… it felt like no matter what she thought about, everything always led to Ren- reminders of him were everywhere…. It's not that she didn't want to remember him; it's just that it still hurt to remember him. She could never describe the feeling properly- something along the lines of part of her heart dying with Ren the day he took his last breath, something like part of her being buried with the man she loved, something… oh, Maria had asked her a question...trying to think of a way to avoid answering, Kyoko gave Maria a guilty look, and apologized, "I'm sorry Maria, what did you say? I fear that with each passing day I'm losing a bit of my sanity."_

"It's fine! And you are perfectly sane, and don't you ever believe otherwise! Why, compared to Grandpa, I'd say you're the sanest person on earth!"

_Kyoko's laugh was empty and forced, but her attempt was valiant. "How is the President?"_

"_He's a young man in an old man's body! He thinks he can do anything, but really he needs to stay home and rest. The doctor told him that he needs to retire, but he's so reluctant to hand over LME to just anybody. He wants me to have it, but I'm not ready to take over the company… and I have my career as a model to think about too. He said he always thought he would give it to Ren…" Maria paused, realizing her use of the forbidden name. It was an understood rule that they were never to speak Ren's name in Kyoko's presence. "Ah, I'm sorry! Let's talk about something else! Those trees look really nice! Is that a new flower pot? I think it's getting colder, do you thi-"_

_Kyoko cut in, "Maria, it's ok. You can say Ren's name. I don't know why everyone thinks I'm so delicate that I can't hear his name. Do you think I don't think his name?" _

"_I, well…"_

"Either way, it's fine. Don't worry about me. Continue with your story, I'm interested to hear what the President had wanted…"

"Oh, yes, well since Ren was like a son to him he was sure that when Ren got tired of acting, or even if he still wanted to act, but not as much, he could take over LME. He had also considered Hizuri-san, but he always thought that Ren would have been a better pick."

"Hmm, is that so? Well, I'm sure the President will figure something out."

_Maria nodded, and the two sat in silence for a while, watching as the sun finally disappeared beneath the horizon. Maria closed her eyes, and enjoyed the peaceful bliss of nature- how it contrasted so with the noise of the city. It wasn't until quite some time later that she realized that she had fallen asleep. Kyoko had brought out a blanket and covered Maria at some point. _

_Maria sat up and took a few minutes to let her eyes adjust to the darkness and wake up. When she felt she was ready, she picked up the blanket and opened up the door to the house. A light was on in Kyoko's bedroom and Maria quietly shut the door to the porch behind her as she walked down the hallway. Kyoko's back was to her, and so Maria silently stood in the doorway, observing the scene before her. She could tell by the shake of her shoulders that Kyoko was crying, but she couldn't quite see what Kyoko was holding in her hand. _

"_Kyo…ko" Maria's voiced cracked as she spoke out, breaking the silence. _

_Kyoko used her free hand to try and wipe the tears from her eyes, before realizing it was hopeless. She had been caught crying, there was no use trying to hide it now. Maria had appeared beside her and had sat next to her, offering her arms for a hug. Kyoko accepted the hug and Maria did her best to comfort her. Looking down, Maria noticed the object in Kyoko's hand- a picture of her and Ren. _

_It was another one of those rare moments in time, caught forever by the flash of a camera. Ren had been in one of his playful moods, and was carrying Kyoko around on his shoulders. She was messing with his hair, which by the time the picture had been taken was sticking every which way. He was looking up at her, and she was looking down at him with a playful grin on her face. He didn't seem to care that she had messed his hair up, and she looked like queen of the world sitting on top of his shoulders. _

_It was a while before Kyoko had sat up and thanked Maria, but she was very apologetic when she did._

"_I'm so sorry Maria, I don't know what came over me. I'm usually much more composed. I think it must just be this time of year… it reminds me of him."_

"_You don't need to apologize! I'm glad that I could be here for you."_

* * *

><p>Maria knocked on the door to Kyoko's home and waited for her to answer the door. One minute…two minutes… five minutes went by, and no response came.<p>

"_That's strange… maybe I should have called first," _Maria thought. "_Maybe I should just check out back first, before I go_."

Walking around the side of the house, Maria saw Kyoko in her chair on the porch.

"Kyoko!" she called out. "Kyoko, it's Maria!"

There was no response.

Maria made her way up onto the porch, thinking that perhaps Kyoko had fallen asleep.

"Kyoko," Maria spoke out again as she got closer. She nudged Kyoko's arm, and was shocked when it fell limply to the side. The panic filled Maria, and she felt Kyoko's ice cold hands. "Kyoko! Kyoko, you need to wake up now! Oh God. No. Please tell me this is some kind of sick, cruel joke. Kyoko!"

Silence.

Maria sat there holding that cold, limp hand for what she felt was an eternity. Kyoko, dead. It just wasn't possible. Why did the world have to take everyone she loved away from her? First her mother, then Ren, and now Kyoko! When the shock finally faded, and the tears began to fall, Maria went inside and found a blanket. She returned to the porch, and went to Kyoko. She looked so small and frail in the large chair.

"Kyoko, you're so cold! I don't know how you could be so silly as to forget a blanket." Maria chastised through her tears. "Here, let me cover you and warm you up. What would your Tsuruga-san think of you sitting out here in the cold?" Maria hiccupped as her crying started to become uncontrollable. "Your Tsuruga-san would give you that look- you know which one I'm talking about, right? Well maybe he wouldn't, he probably would have gotten you a blanket hours ago." Maria tried to smile, but she began sobbing. "Tell him I said hello, tell Ren that we all miss him, tell your love that we're sorry we didn't take care of you the way you deserved to be…" Maria didn't know why she kept talking, but she couldn't stop. "I bet you're excited to see him again, Kyoko. You two will finally be reunited! I just wish… I just wish that you two could be here now."

Sometime later Maria finally calmed down enough to call her grandfather and tell him the news. She called her manager next, and told him that she would be staying the night with Kyoko- deliberately forgetting to tell her that she was dead.

* * *

><p>So I was on the verge of tears while writing a lot of this. When I re-read it, it made me even more sad. I hope that despite how depressing this story is, that you still will continue to read. Sometimes it's nice to read a sad story...<p>

-Tohru12


	8. Chapter 8: Sunrises and Sunsets

To all of you who reviewed, I cannot express in words how grateful I am to hear that my writing has moved you. This story is far from finished, and if I could offer you tissues and hot chocolate to warm your souls after reading I would. As it is though, I cannot, but I will continue on with this tragedy. I am extremely sorry for the long delay between posts, but here is the next chapter of Wedding Dress.

* * *

><p>Wedding Dress<p>

Chapter 8: Sunrises and Sunsets

Lory Takarada rarely abused his privileges of having a private jet, but he figured the death of Kyoko Mogami warranted him the right to use the high class private jet to fly quickly to Kyoto. He hadn't expected it so soon- they had said she had more time. He could only guess that she had lost the will to live, and no matter how much time a doctor predicts, if the patient doesn't have the will to fight, then that estimation is useless.

Lory looked out of the window; the sun was just setting in the distance. It had been a while since he had stopped to watch the sun set… as crazy as people considered him to be, no one would doubt that he was a busy man. Even still, Lory took the time to rest his eyes on the setting sun as it cast colors across the sky that seemed all too bright and cheerful for such a sad day.

Turning back to face his desk, Lory went to one of the draws and opened it with his key. He removed a file, one he hadn't opened in years, and put it in his briefcase before picking up his phone to make a few calls.

* * *

><p>Kanae Kotonami didn't like to be disturbed during her work, and her manager knew that. It was for this reason that Kanae was quite irate when her manager interrupted the director to ask permission for Kanae to leave work. Kanae's furious onslaught of words were not sedated until the manager finally explained that the President had requested her presence immediately at his private residence. Kanae understood instantly. <em>Kyoko. <em>

Kanae didn't bother waiting for her manager- she'd apologize later. Right now, the only thing that mattered was getting to Kyoko. _Things must have gotten bad; I hope we make it in time. There are so many things I have to tell her still… so many things that I've left unsaid… but she knows, she has to know that she's my best friend… she has to know that she's like a sister to me, right?_

Kanae returned her focus to the road as she swerved in and out of traffic. The sun was just falling beneath the horizon and the light that glared off of the tall glass buildings of the city made it hard for Kanae to see. While muttering under her breath about the idiotic drivers on the road with her, Kanae made the final turn into the President's residence.

* * *

><p>Yukihito Yashiro was just finishing straightening up some files in his office when the phone rang.<p>

"Yashiro-san speaking."  
>"Yukihito, it's Lory." There was a pause. "I'm going to need you to come to my house as soon as you can. It's Kyoko… Maria found her… I'm leaving in twenty minutes if you want to come."<p>

"I understand."

Yashiro sighed. He knew this was coming. Lory had spoken to him a few weeks ago. Kyoko's illness had taken a turn for the worse, and the doctors didn't think she had much time left. But this was too soon. None of this would be happening if Ren hadn't died all those years ago.

The streets below his office were filled with traffic. The changing colors of the sky as the sun set signaled to some the end of another work day in Tokyo- but to Yashiro, and the few others that knew of the events of that day, it signaled the end of the final day of Kyoko's life. Kyoko… how long ago was it that she had come to the agency? Yashiro had lost count of the years, but he could still remember Ren grumbling about some clumsy new girl who was never going to make it. Who knew that Ren would eventually propose to her- the girl who had run around in that flaming pink uniform? Sometimes he wondered if that time of his life had ever happened, or if was all part of some intricate dream that his mind had fabricated. Alas, it had to have been, or else he would not be feeling this horrible…

The honking of a horn in the traffic brought Yashiro back to the present. If he left now, he could probably meet the President in time. _Ren would want me to go. Hell, I want to go. _

Yashiro grabbed his bag and shut off the lights in his office. He closed the door, and locked it. It had been years since he had seen Kyoko face to face… it had gotten too difficult for them to see each other. Both of them had trouble with Ren's death, and seeing the other just reminded them of Ren. They still talked on occasion, but they were never on the same level that they had been before Ren had passed. Yashiro hit the elevator button and waited. He glanced at his watch, the seconds ticking by. Yashiro grew impatient. It was taking too long.

Staring down the elevator door one last time, Yashiro gave up, and went for the stairs. He didn't have much time to get to the President's house, and he most certainly wasn't going to waste any waiting for an elevator.

* * *

><p>Most men would ignore a phone call so early in the morning. Kuu Hizuri was not like most men. The barely audible vibration of his phone on the table next to him awakened him almost instantly. He knew what that call was going to be about before he even answered it. Not bothering to look at the caller ID, he answered quietly, in an attempt to avoid waking up his sleeping wife.<p>

"Lory, is she…"

"Maria found her. I'm on my way to Kyoto now. I'm bringing Yukihito and Kotonami-san. I want to release the presentation tomorrow. Is that okay with you?"

"That's fine. Is Kotonami-san okay with doing this? We probably should have told her Kyoko was sick… but we can't change that now."

"Maybe, but Kotonami-san was about to have a major break in her career, and Kyoko did not want her health status to affect her friend. Anyways, I'm thinking we should have the funeral soon." Lory sighed, "Will you be coming?"

"Of course. I'll start packing immediately. We'll be there by tomorrow morning." Kuu replied before ending the call. Setting the phone back on the bedside table, Kuu fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. First his son, and now his daughter. The world truly was a cruel place. Weren't the parents supposed to die before the children? Julie would be hysterical when she woke up. She had wanted to fly to Kyoto as soon as they found out the Kyoko was sick. When he told her that Kyoko had asked that they didn't come, she had freaked out, and stormed around the house for hours muttering things to herself. It was going to be a rough few days, and he wasn't sure what the end result of it all would be.

* * *

><p>Kanae stormed out of the car and up to the President's door. She didn't care if it was rude or impolite to bang on the door—she had to know. She had to know if Kyoko was alright, if Kyoko was hurt, if Kyoko was sick, if Kyoko was… No! She would not even consider the possibility that Kyoko was dead. That was impossible. Why, she had just visited her last week!<p>

Kanae was surprised when Lory answered the door instead of one of the servants. "Kotonami-san, please, come in… we have much to discuss and very little time," Lory spoke seriously.

"Yes, President," Kanae replied almost inaudibly, looking behind her when she heard the sound of footsteps.

"Yukihito, thank you for coming on such short notice. The jet is almost ready."

Kanae eyes widened at the mention on the jet. "President, what's going on?"

"Kotonami-san, I'm afraid Kyoko has…" Lory began, unsure how to phrase it. "Kyoko is… Kyoko has passed away." Lory concluded looking away, avoiding eye contact with Kane.

"Passed away…" Kanae spoke the words to herself once before her whole body began to shake and the tears that she had tried so hard to prevent since she'd been told to come here began to fall. "No… no… you must be mistaken! This has to be some kind of sick, cruel joke! I don't believe you! You're lying… there is no way she can be… dead! I just saw her last week! She was fine, she was laughing. She told me that she would come to my premier!"

"Kotonami-san, you need to calm down," Lory interrupted.

"Calm down? You expect me to calm down after you tell me that my best friend, the girl… the woman who has stood by my side since I entered this business, is dead? What kind of person are you?"

Lory sighed, maybe Kuu was right, maybe they should have told her sooner. But still, it wouldn't have changed much, and they were just following Kyoko's request…

"Look, Maria is there with her right now. I plan on going there, whether you want to or not. I'm not going to have you accusing me of being a heartless man, when I so graciously offered to take you with me. Now, if you would excuse me, I have a flight to catch!" Lory decided to take the angry approach, hoping to get through to Kanae somehow. He felt bad for yelling at the woman, but they would probably be here for a while if he tried to talk to her calmly.

By the time that President's words hit Kanae, Yashiro and Lory were already on their way to board the jet. Kanae took a deep breath and quickly followed the two men.

* * *

><p>Maria sat wrapped in a blanket on the porch next to Kyoko. She knew that she should move her inside, or do something besides leave her there in the chair, but she did not think that she had the strength- physical or mental- to move Kyoko at the moment.<p>

Now that the realization of Kyoko's death had finally settled on Maria, she had trouble looking at the motionless body that sat just a few feet from her. Instead, Maria concentrated on the growing dimness of the sky. Kyoko's house faced the west, as Kyoko always enjoyed watching the sunrise from her back porch. Maria had once asked Kyoko if she preferred the sunrise or the sunset. Kyoko had been silent for a few moments before replying that she liked the sunrise better.

"It would be wrong of me to say that the sunset is not beautiful, for it truly is, but I much prefer the rising of the sun. I like to think that every time the sun rises it's like the beginning of something new- something that has yet to be touched or tarnished. I like to believe that the sunrise shows a glimpse of what it's like to begin with a fresh start. It's such an exciting experience to watch the world come alive as the sun brings light and warmth to our Earth... Sunsets bring the day to a close, and I'm not too fond of endings, especially if they don't conclude in the way that I wished they would," Kyoko was silent for a moment before continuing, "Ren always liked the sunrise too. We were going to visit the ocean during our honeymoon, but well, things just didn't work out."

Maria could still hear the sadness in Kyoko's voice, as if she had actually just spoken the words to her. Looking over at Kyoko, Maria was reminded once again that the woman was no longer with her. Closing her eyes, Maria managed the first smile, though faint, since she had found Kyoko earlier. "Of course Kyoko wouldn't wait for the sun to set… because that would mean that it's the end… and she never liked endings."

* * *

><p>And so I guess I'll end it here for now. This is more of a filler chapter, but I tried to add some stuff in there to make it more interesting. I'm hoping to update sooner rather than later!<p>

-Tohru12


	9. Chapter 9: A Personal Tour

Thank you to those that have continued to read this story, and I am very sorry for the long periods of time between updates. I hope that you will continue reading, as I can assure you the story will begin to get a bit more interesting in time. Please enjoy!

* * *

><p>Wedding Dress<br>Chapter 9: A Personal Tour

The sound of her phone ringing brought Maria back to the present. The cheerful tune seemed out of place considering the events that had occurred. Quickly locating the device, Maria answered- doing her best to sound as completely normal as she could under the circumstances- and was greeted by her grandfather.

"Maria, I just wanted to let you know that I'm on my way now. Yashiro-san and Kotonami-san are with me as well. We should be there before too long, assuming there are no delays."  
>"Okay, thank you for coming grandfather…"<br>"Of course… how are you holding up though?"  
>Silence.<p>

"I'm doing okay… it's just difficult to accept, you know? I can't believe she's gone."  
>"I understand… just stay strong for a little while longer, I'll be there soon."<p>

"I'll do my best grandfather…"

Maria hung up the phone and decided to take a look inside the house- to see if Kyoko had left any kind of message behind, or if her coming death was even unknown to her. Opening the door from the back porch into the house led to a sitting room of sorts. To her right was a bookshelf, with two chairs- fit for reading for long hours- on either side. To her left was a small couch that faced the brick fireplace on the far side of the room. A small table stood between her and the couch, and numerous pictures had been set up for viewing. Maria ran her eyes over the pictures, and immediately recognized one of herself and Kyoko from long ago.

The day was still clear in Maria's head; as if it had occurred but last week rather than… oh she didn't even know how many years ago. It was before the guests had started arriving, and Maria was in her dress suit and Kyoko had just finished donning her cook's outfit. Maria didn't even remember taking this picture, but she smiled at the memory… at all the memories. It was the night her dad had come to see her, it was the night she finally enjoyed her birthday again, it was the night of the "Thank You Party," and the night Ren had given Kyoko Princess Rosa. Maria felt like her tears would begin again if she didn't look away, the picture was just too much.

She had seen much of the house already, and quickly looked through the other rooms on the first story of the house. Kyoko's kitchen looked well stocked-Maria couldn't help but wondering if Kyoko didn't realize that she would be departing from the earth so soon- and the front room with the table for eating was set, as it always was. A small bedroom and a bathroom at the end of the hallway facing the north side of the house were all that was left of the first floor, and so Maria turned around to reach the bottom of the stairs that she had passed earlier.

Maria walked up the wooden staircase to the second story of the house. She had never been up here before- Kyoko has said there wasn't much to see- and so Maria had no idea what to expect. The stairs faced north, which meant that upon reaching the top, Maria was greeted by a window that looked out on the side of the house. Much like the rest of the outside of the property, it looked- in the fading light of the day- as though there were many flowers and plants enclosed by the tall trees of the forest that lined the entire house.

Similar to the first floor, the area by the stairs was part of a hallway of sorts. Rounding the banister of the steps, Maria began to head down the hallway. To her right (west) was a door that led out to what looked like a large covered deck. Most of the wooden floor appeared to be covered in leaves- Kyoko probably didn't use the balcony much. Further down the hallway, still on the right side of the house, was another door. Maria gently turned the handle and poked her head inside, only to be disappointed by finding a small bathroom. Directly across from the bathroom was a day room that faced the front of the house. It had an open doorway leading into the room, but before Maria ventured in there, she tried the handle on one of the double doors that lay facing the south side of the house. She could only guess that this was the master bedroom, and while she felt wrong for entering Kyoko's bedroom, she couldn't help her curiosity.

The handle turned easily, and Maria gently opened the wooden door that, despite her attempt to be careful, creaked upon movement. The sound caused her to jump slightly, but she quickly regained her senses and entered the bedroom. The room was dark, as the only window facing west was covered by a heavy a curtain, and Maria fumbled for a light switch. When she had finally managed to locate the elusive switch, Maria was shocked at the state of the room. It appeared as though no one had been in the room, let alone slept in it, for a while. A thin layer of dust covered most of the wooden furniture, and Maria was confused as to why Kyoko would have let even the slightest breach in cleanliness befall the room. The bed spread did not appear to have a single crease or wrinkle, and the only sign that anyone had been in the room within the past month was the picture on the bedside table. Unlike everything else in the room, the picture gleamed in the light proving that it had been cleaned quite recently.

Maria felt uncomfortable in the room, and quickly retreated to the hallway. She closed the doors to the master bedroom, and turned her attention to the day room. It was a moderately sized room with doors on both sides, and a window facing east, to the front of the house. A comfortable looking chair was situated close to the window, and Maria assumed that Kyoko might have enjoyed sitting in the chair and watching anyone who passed by the house- or maybe she used it to look for her guests as they came in through the entry way. Other than the window, the room wasn't very interesting, and so Maria tried the door that faced the north end of the house. For the first time since she had embarked on her personal tour of the house, Maria was denied entry. She turned the knob again, to see if maybe the door would magically unlock itself, but, much to her dismay, she was granted no such luck. Curious to see if the other door would be locked as well, Maria turned around and attempted to open the door that lay opposite of the one she had just tried. The handle turned with ease, and Maria was greeted again with darkness. She had less trouble finding the light switch this time around, and was glad to see a room that looked like a study.

"Maybe she has left us a note…" Maria commented to herself as she stepped further into the room. The west wall was lined with books, which Maria found interesting. She had never thought Kyoko to be much of a reader, but perhaps she was? Glancing over the titles of the books, Maria began to understand better how Kyoko came across such a large collection of books. Fairytales. Countless versions and variations lined the bookshelf, ranging in age and interest. Maria smiled to herself, thinking of Kyoko reading the fairytales. Soon however, a frown returned to her face, thinking of Kyoko's own fairytale that had been denied- life just wasn't fair sometimes.

Letting a sigh escape her, Maria turned her attention to the desk that sat beneath a window facing the south end of the house. The desk was made of a dark mahogany and atop it laid several envelopes. Maria quickly picked up the bundle and shuffled through them, anxious to see if one was addressed to her. Her movements were stilled when her eyes finally rested on the one that belonged to her.

As if the letter would disappear if she did not open it that very second, Maria quickly removed the paper from the envelope and began to read.

_Maria,_

_I hope that this letter finds you in good health, as one's health is very vital to a career in the entertainment and modeling industry. But what am I saying, you are obviously aware of this- you are no longer that little girl I used to know. Of course I knew you would grow up someday, and I must say, I am quite proud of what you have become- I know that Ren would have said the same had he lived to see you flourish as I have. I am sure that if you are reading this, I must have left this world, and I hope that if you are troubled by this, that you find solace in knowing that I am glad to know I will soon be reunited with Ren. _

_It is one of my greatest concerns that you will not forgive me for having held the status of my health from you. I hope that you understand that I did it in hopes that you would suffer less because of me. It troubles me knowing that my death my cause pain to those that I care about, but surely you must realize that as my death was inevitable and imminent, I wished not to be the cause of concern or treated differently than I had been prior. _

_But enough talk of depressing things such as sickness and death, I'd prefer to leave you with a happy recollection of me. Do you remember when we first met? I believe it was the day that I had come to LME for my first audition- you were quite troublesome back then, weren't you? Oh but we did manage to get along quite well, and I have always treasured our memories. I remember when you tried to scare those girls at the talent school, and when we followed Moko on our secret mission- those days seem so long ago… _

_I want you to have the dolls- I'm sure you remember which ones I am speaking of, although if you don't, you must remember once you have seen them. Most of them are upstairs, in my study. If you check the top drawer on the right, they should be there._

Maria's eyes stopped devouring the letter long enough to check the drawer that Kyoko had spoken of and, sure enough, within the drawer was a collection of some of the most well-made dolls Maria had ever seen. She pulled each one out- there were several different versions of Ren- and was surprised to see that Kyoko had made one of herself as well as Maria and a few others. Taking a few of them into her arms, Maria embraced the tiny dolls and let the tears she had been trying so desperately to hold back fall. Maria did not know how long that she stood there, but time seemed to stand still as memories flooded back of times long past.

Setting down the dolls, Maria picked up the letter and resumed her reading.

_I've added a few more dolls to the collection, in hopes of somehow leaving a reminder to the world of the people that have influenced me so. I have spent many hours of working the details of each individual doll, and I know you will do your best to take care of them. _

_Maria, thank you for being the little sister that I never had. More than once you have brought a smile to my face, and warmth to my heart. Stay strong Maria, a bright future awaits you._

_ With love,_

_ Kyoko_

Maria suddenly felt extremely tired. All of the events of the day were finally catching up to her, and she was glad to take a seat in the surprisingly comfortable desk chair. Not wanting to fall asleep, Maria tried to keep her mind and body somewhat active my testing the other drawers on Kyoko's desk. It was in one of these said drawers that Maria found a diary.

"Oh, I really shouldn't look at this… Even if Kyoko is no longer with us, I cannot read something so personal as her diary." Maria spoke to herself. But despite her convincing dialogue about the wrong she would be committing by infringing on Kyoko's private diary, Maria could not hold back from taking a quick peek. Turning to a random page, Maria glanced at the steady writing of Kyoko's hand:

"…_it was cold today; I am worried about the garden. I do hope that the plants survive this cold spell- I'd hate to lose all my hard work over a little bit of weather…"_

Maria, a little disappointed at entry, closed her eyes and hoped that this entire day was just a horrible nightmare.

* * *

><p>Please review! I enjoy hearing your thoughts and feedback!<p>

-Tohru12


	10. Chapter 10: Waking Up

So it's been quite a while since I updated, and I'm sorry for the delay, but here is Chapter 10.

* * *

><p>Wedding Dress<p>

Chapter 10: Waking Up

Sometimes it is in those pre-dawn hours that your mind embarks to understand the complexities of life. During these hours, countless questions flutter across your thoughts as you drift in and out of consciousness and reality.

"_Did Ren really die, or was it just a bad dream?_

I had woken up with a start this morning and turned to the side only to find the bed beside me empty. I reached out and grabbed the cold, soft pillow, and embracing it, I closed my eyes. It still smelt like Ren. Tears threatened, but I managed to blink them away. Again I questioned whether Ren was really dead, or if the twisted nightmares of the night before had managed to shake me up just that badly.

Confused, I sat up and let go of the pillow I had been holding so tightly. The large bed seemed more enormous than ever before, and it only magnified the feeling of loneliness that had been plaguing me. There was no use trying to find sleep again, the growing brightness of the room was too much. And then again, I caught myself. _"Why are the curtains open?"_ Only Ren ever opened them in the morning…

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a light coming from my phone. I ditched the covers and shifted so that I could sit on the edge of the bed, my legs dangling. At first I thought I must have left my phone on silent and that I was receiving a call, but upon further inspection I found that the light screen was only the glare from the sun.

I opened the phone to reveal a picture of myself and Ren from a premier we had been at sometime in the previous weeks. It was so nice being able to walk in with my hand on Ren's arm, showing the press- and therefore the world- that I was the one he chose. The longer I looked at the picture- myself in an elegant red dress, and Ren sporting a tuxedo- the harder it was to hold back the tears. The depression made me feel sick, and I clutched at my stomach as I tried to avoid the wave of nausea that overcame me.

Oh what I wouldn't do just to hear his voice… and then it hit me, I would call his private phone- one that's caller ID was not hidden- and listen to the voicemail.

Slowly dialing the number that I knew by heart, I waited in anticipation as I heard each of the rings. It did not even faze me that I should be hearing the phone somewhere within the apartment- it was probably on silent. The final ring sounded, and then his voice reached my ears. It was such a simple phrase, but nevertheless, it was his voice. When the recorded voicemail had finished, I hung up, and called again. After the third call, I placed my phone next to me on the bed, and fell back, my legs still dangling off the edge.

I closed my eyes once again and listened to the faint humming of the air conditioning in the apartment. The soundproof walls of the high-priced building prevented me from hearing any of the outside noises from the city traffic below. It was for this reason that I nearly jumped out of my skin when my phone began to vibrate- quite loudly- and interrupt the silence of the room.

Regaining my senses, I picked up the phone and casually glanced at the screen. I nearly dropped the phone when Ren's name and picture appeared. _"Was this some kind of evil joke?"_ How could Ren be calling me… he was dead, wasn't he? Even with the doubtful thoughts about the identity of the caller, my curiosity won, and I picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Kyoko! Is something wrong? You called me three times… I'm sorry I didn't pick up at first- I should have known that if you called me it was important." The flustered voice of Ren was like music to my ears.

"Ren… is that you?"

"Yes it's me, Kyoko. Is everything all right? Do I need to come home- are you home? Where are you? I can ask the director to let me leave early- I'll work late tomorrow… Kyoko? Kyoko? Are you crying? What's wrong?!"

"Ren… I"

"Kyoko, what is it?"

"Ren, I'm sorry, I'm just so happy."


	11. Chapter 11: Curiosity Kills

Wedding Dress

Chapter 11: Curiosity Kills

Maria slammed the diary shut.

She knew that she should have put it away, that she shouldn't have reopened the most private of private things. But she had and now her mind was plagued with the words that Kyoko had written in the diary, words from an entry dated not too many months ago. To think that Kyoko had to face such dreams so long after the death of Ren made Maria wonder how much Kyoko must have truly suffered. Was the dream worth what she had to wake up to in the morning? The empty bed, the silence. It made her shudder, the thoughts were so depressing. This whole day was depressing. Kyoko was dead.

Unable to sit still any longer, Maria set the diary back in the drawer and began to pace the small study. Where was her grandfather? They should be arriving soon, shouldn't they? Maria looked out the window to see if there was any sign of the expected visitors, but all she could see were the fading outlines of the foliage. She had lost track of time, but it seemed as though not enough time had passed for her grandfather to be there. Maria sighed, and looked around at the small study again. Kyoko's study. Kyoko's study that she would never use again because she sat on the porch below, lifeless in the chair.

Maria suddenly felt claustrophobic in the room, and decided to go turn on some of the lights in the house to make it feel… less lonely. She passed by the locked door, and wondered again what lay beyond it. Perhaps there was a key in the study? Maria looked at the door again, and just couldn't find the motivation to fight off the curiosity. It was probably just storage of some kind, stuff that Kyoko didn't need on a regular basis and felt should be locked for safe keeping? Yes, that must be it. But still, Maria returned to the study again and began looking through the drawers. Unlike the door, all of the drawers easily opened to reveal their contents, although most of it was uninteresting to Maria.

She was almost ready to give up on her search for the key when Maria's eye caught sight of the diary she had left on top of the desk. What if Kyoko had kept the key in there? Surely people had done such things before? Looking over her shoulder as a child would do when trying to steal a cookie from the kitchen, Maria quickly held up the diary and began to fan through the pages, hoping that a key would magically fall out from between them. However, Maria was not rewarded with a key, but rather a single piece of paper that gracefully fell to the floor, landing face down. Picking the paper up, Maria turned it over to discover it was a photo, one that she had never seen before. She stared at it, shocked.

Had voices below not reached Maria's ears, she probably would have stood there for hours. But the sounds of her grandfather and the others coming up the walk brought Maria out of her trance and she quickly shoved the photo back in the diary, closed it up, and returned it to the drawer in the desk. She had a strong feeling that she had just seen something that she shouldn't have seen, and she didn't want the others to know… unless they already knew.

* * *

><p>"Maria!" Lory called out as he reached the door of Kyoko's home. The door was still locked and there appeared only to be a single light on in the house, upstairs. Lory called out his granddaughter's name a second time and knocked slightly harder on the door hoping to get a response.<p>

"Yes grandfather?" Maria answered, her face flushed from being caught off guard upstairs and having rushed down.

"Ah, there you are. I thought maybe you'd left. All the lights are out." Lory said, satisfied that his beckoning had received its answer.

"Where's Kyoko?" Kanae cut in before the conversation could go any further.

Maria opened the door wider to let in the three friends, obviously weary from there spur of the moment trip and anxious to see Kyoko. "She's on the back porch," Maria began, the emotion from the day again returning to her, "I… I put a blanket on her because she seemed cold."

"Of course she's cold, she's dead!" Kanae snapped. And then Kyoko's best friend did something she normally didn't, and apologized. "I'm sorry Maria, it's just… it's just too soon for me… for all of us."

Maria nodded solemnly and led the way to Kyoko.

* * *

><p>I'll apologize now for anyone that wanted the whole thing to be a dream, but like some of you said, some stories should stay sad. I was worried that the previous chapter would be confusing, and it was, but it turned out not to be such a bad thing. I originally wrote it in third person like most of the story, but decided to change it because technically it was a diary entry, and I don't know about all of you, but I don't write in third person in my diary. So there you have it.<p>

Oh, and sunnygcat, I hope this twist makes the last chapter a little better for you.

Please review!

-Tohru12 ^_^


End file.
